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3.11 | 7 ratings | 2 reviews | 14% 5 stars Write a review Buy JOHN RENBOURN Music

Studio Album, released in 1980 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. Pavane: Belle, Qui Tiens Ma Vie / Tourdion (5:56) 2. The Truth from Above (2:19) 3. Le Tambourin (3:08) 4. The Plans of Waterloo (7:31) 5. The Maid on the Shore (5:00) 6. Douce Dame Jolie (3:13) 7. A Bold Young Farmer (2:25) 8. Sidi Brahim (8:31) Total Time 38:03 Line-up / Musicians - Jacqui McShee / vocals - John Renbourn / acoustic guitar, swalamandala, vocals - Tony Roberts / flute, recorders, whistle, cornemuse, bass clarinet, swalamandala, glockenspiel, cymbal, vocals - John Molineux / fiddle, dulcimer, mandolin, whistle, psaltery, spoons, vocals - Keshav Sathe / tabla, finger cymbals With: - Glen Tommy / snare drum Releases information LP Transatlantic Records ‎- TRA 356 (1980, UK) CD Transatlantic Records ‎- TACD 9.00781 O (1989, Germany) CD Castle Music - CMRCD 1123 (2005, UK) Thanks to SteveG for the addition and to Quinino for the last updates Edit this entry

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JOHN RENBOURN The John Renbourn Group: The Enchanted Garden ratings distribution

Essential: a masterpiece of rock music (14%)

Excellent addition to any rock music collection (29%)

Good, but non-essential (57%)

Collectors/fans only (0%)

Poor. Only for completionists (0%)

JOHN RENBOURN The John Renbourn Group: The Enchanted Garden reviews

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by kenethlevine
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog-Folk Team

By this point in the extended PENTANGLE and British Isles folk rock story, I'm not sure what any additional effort by the "Renbourn-McShee and friends" collaboration could accomplish that had not been achieved more convincingly by earlier iterations of themselves or others. If they were true to their art (and I have no reason to suspect otherwise) in the trademark precise arrangements of "The Truth from Above" or "The Maid on the Shore", they couldn't match the the analogous works of STEELEYE SPAN who at least seemed partially inebriated by the joys of their craft, or the persistently evolving explorations of CLANNAD for whom they were clearly idols.

This second and thankfully final JOHN RENBOURN group studio album unwittingly establishes his unencumbered solo work as the state of the art from the family tree circa 1980. To be clear, there's nothing specifically wrong here other than my personal preference for vivacity and a modicum of emotion in this early music style, but there isn't anything terribly right about it either. If pressed, I will backpedal and admit that the tabla of Keshav Sathe helps upgrade "Le Tambourin", "Douce Dame Jolie", and the almost fascinating raga closer "Sidi Brahim" to the higher floors if not the rooftop deck, allowing this review to escape complete disenchantment and maybe even the ire of the Renbourn faithful.

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